The Gospel of Luke (25):Offended because of Jesus? 05/14/2023

First Baptist Church Leominster

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1st John chapter 4 this morning and then he'll pray for us 1st

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John chapter 4 Beloved do not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are from God for many false prophets have gone out into the world by this you know the

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Spirit of God every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God and every spirit that does not confess

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Jesus is not from God this is the spirit of the Antichrist which you have heard was coming and now is in the world already little children you are from God and have overcome them for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world they are from the world therefore they speak from the world and the world listens to them we are from God whoever knows

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God listens to us whoever is not from God does not listen to us by this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error beloved let us love one another for love is from God and whoever loves has been born of God and knows

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God anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love in this the love of God was made manifest among us that God sent his only son into the world so that we might live through him in this is love not that we have loved

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God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins beloved if God so loved us we also ought to love one another no one has ever seen

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God if we love one another God abides in us and his love is perfected in us by this we know that we abide in him and he in us because he has given us his spirit and we have seen and testify that the father has sent his son to be the savior of the world whoever confesses that Jesus is the son of God God's abiding

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God abides in him and he and God so we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us

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God is love and whoever abides in love abides in God and God abides in him by this is love perfected with us so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment because as he is so also are we in this world there is no fear in love but perfect love casts out fear for fear has to do with punishment and whoever fears has not been perfected in love we love because he first loved us if anyone says

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I love God and hates his brother he is a liar for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love

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God whom he has not seen and this commandment we have from him whoever loves

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God must also love his brother let's pray our father we thank you for this tremendous text and we thank you that Jesus Christ was the propitiation for our sins

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Jesus Christ absorbed the wrath of God for us he was our substitute and in him we have redemption we have the forgiveness of sins we have wisdom from above lavished upon us

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Lord we thank you for the tremendous blessings that we have in Christ Jesus and we pray that in light of these breath and light of these blessings that we would love that we would love you that we would love our brothers we would love our sisters and that we would love our enemies we pray

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Lord that love would be the hallmark of this church Lord we pray that as we open up your word and continue to worship you through the sermon being preached and the word being proclaimed we pray

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Lord that you would clear us of all distraction help us to focus on your word help us to line up under it and we pray that we would live it out to your glory thank you

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Lord in Jesus name amen well let's turn in our

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Bible to Luke chapter 7 Mary indicated just before service that the copier ran out of toner and so she was only able to make 58 copies of notes normally she makes twice that number there's fewer of us fewer of us here today so hopefully there's enough but if you happen to be you know have two sets of notes two of you sitting together you might look around and see if there's somebody who doesn't have a set and pass one set to them that would be wonderful well this is a rather long passage before us

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Luke chapter 7 18 to 35 we'll read it then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things this is

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John the Baptist of course and John calling two of his disciples to him sent them to Jesus saying are you the coming one or do we look for another when the man had come to him that being

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Jesus they said John the Baptist has sent us to you saying are you the coming one or do we look for another and that very hour he cured many infirmities afflictions and evil spirits and to many blind he gave sight and Jesus answered said to them go and tell

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John the things you have seen and heard that the blind see the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised the poor have the gospel preached to them and blessed is he who is not offended because of me that's an important statement here in this passage when the messengers of John had departed he began to speak to the multitudes concerning John what did you go out in the wilderness to see a reed shaken by the wind but what did you go out to see a man clothed in soft garments indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in Kings courts what did you go out to see a prophet yes

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I say to you and more than a prophet this is he of whom it is written behold

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I send my messenger before your face who will prepare your way before you for I say to you among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the

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Baptist but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he and when all the people heard him even the tax collectors justified

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God having been baptized with the baptism of John but the

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Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves not having been baptized by him and the

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Lord said to what then shall I like in the men of this generation and what are they like they're like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another saying we played the flute for you and you did not dance we mourn to you and you did not weep for John the

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Baptist came neither eating and eating bread or drinking wine you say he has a demon the son of man has come eating and drinking you say look a glutton and a winebibber a friend of tax collectors and sinners but wisdom is justified by all her children

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John the Baptist had been thrown into prison sometime before this account that we just read don't know how long this was recorded for us back in the third chapter of this gospel so it was a while back there we read but Herod the

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Tetrarch being rebuked by him that would be John the Baptist concerning Herodias his brother

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Philip's wife and for all the evils which Herod had done also added this above all that he shut

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John up in prison and then we read that John sent two of his disciples to Jesus in order to ask

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Jesus are you the coming one or do we look for another it would seem that John probably along with his disciples had doubts regarding the identity of Jesus as the true

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Messiah the promised King the son of David it would seem that for them there had not been sufficient evidence to confirm that Jesus was the one for whom they had waited long and anticipated we do not know exactly what it was it had led to this doubting of Jesus's messianic credentials they must have believed however that the nature of Jesus's life and ministry was not fulfilling their

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Jewish expectations regarding the coming kingdom John the

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Baptist had publicly said of the coming one I indeed baptize you with water but one mightier than I is coming whose sandal strap

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I am not worthy to loose he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire his winnowing hand is in his hand and his winnowing fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly clean it clean out his threshing floor and gather the wheat into his barn but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire so the

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Jewish people of the time were expecting the Messiah to lead his people in a great physical literal battle between the righteous and the wicked after having conquered and subjugated his enemies the

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Messiah would then establish the promised kingdom of David with the people of Israel free from the yoke of Rome and they would then live in peace and security under the

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Messiah's reign but now John found himself in prison and a

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Jewish uprising had not transpired and apparently John had begun to doubt that Jesus was the promised one through hearing of his teaching and ministry the zealous Jews of the day and even

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John the Baptist was desired and soliciting confirmation from Jesus that he was indeed the promised one the

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New Reformation Study Bible gave this footnote regarding this incident John has borne witness to Jesus so questions like these are unexpected some think his faith has failed in the harsh conditions of Herod's prison others think his patience has given out and he's suggesting that Jesus should actively bring in the kingdom or probably he's looking for Jesus to bring immediate judgment

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John stressed in his own ministry the judgment that Jesus would bring would someone else come to inflict righteous judgment against the sin that God had called

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John to announce interestingly some notable commentators in the past rejected the thought that John the

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Baptist would have had doubts as to the true identity of Jesus as the promised

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Messiah how could John have had doubts when we read of his great testimony to the baptismal sign of the

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Holy Spirit descending upon him in the form of a dove how could John have doubted when in the face of much opposition he declared behold the

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Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world well these commentators argued that because John was near death that he was concerned for the well -being of his own disciples for his own

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John's departure in other words John wasn't concerned about himself he didn't have doubts it was his disciples he was concerned about so he sent them to Jesus these commentators argued that John was near death so he was sending his disciples to Jesus in order to confirm to his disciples that Jesus was indeed the

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Christ that they would follow him fully upon John's passing this was the opinion of Augustine Chrysostom the great orator of the early church and even

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John Calvin Calvin gave this explanation regarding this view that John the

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Baptist was wavering in his faith Calvin denied this the opinion entertained by some that he

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John sent them partly on his own account is exceedingly foolish as if he had been not been fully convinced or obtained distinct information that Jesus is a

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Christ it's very evident that the Holy Herald of Christ perceiving that he was not far from the end of his journey and that his disciples though he'd bestowed great pains in instructing them still remained in a state of hesitation resorted to this last expedient for curing their weakness he had faithfully labored as I have said that his disciples should embrace

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Christ without delay his continued entreaties had produced so little effect that he had good reason for dreading that after his death they would entirely fall away and therefore he earnestly attempted to arouse them from their sloth by sending them to Christ in other words

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John had sent his disciples to Jesus in order to confirm their faith that Jesus was a true

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Messiah not for his own sake for he didn't have any doubts at all and it would seem that J .C.

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Ryle was sympathetic to this position this is his interpretation of John the

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Baptist motivation for sending his disciples to Jesus we should mark in these verses the wise forethought which

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John exhibited about his disciples before he left the world he sent some of them to Jesus with a message of inquiry art thou he that should come or do we look for another he doubtless calculated that they would receive such an answer as would make an indelible impression on their minds and he was right they got an answer in deeds as well as words an answer which probably produced a deeper effect than any arguments which they could have heard from their master's lips in other words than John's lips we can easily imagine that John the

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Baptist must have felt much anxiety about the future course of his disciples he knew their ignorance and weakness in the faith he knew how natural it was for them to regard the disciples of Jesus with feelings of jealousy and envy he knew how likely it was that petty party spirit would creep among them and make them keep aloof from Christ when their own master was dead and gone against this unhappy state of things he makes provision as far as possible while he is yet alive he sends some of them to Jesus that they may see for themselves what kind of teacher he is and not reject him unseen and unheard he takes care to supply them with the strongest evidence that our

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Lord was indeed the Messiah like his divine master having loved his disciples he

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John loved them to the end and now pursuing perceiving that he must leave them that John must leave them he strives to leave them in the best of hands he does his best to make them acquainted with Christ so again the thought

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John the Baptist didn't have any doubts he he knew the doubts of his disciples and so he sent them to Jesus we would argue the effort of these few commentators to spare

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John the Baptist from displaying doubts is unwarranted if John were only concerned about strengthening the faith of his disciples not of himself why did he just send two of his disciples and not more or all of them it's clear he sent two disciples to inquire of Jesus on his own behalf he couldn't go because he was in prison but further why did the

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Lord upon the departure of these two witnesses of John immediately defend and exalt the reputation of John before the crowds if it were not

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Jesus's desire to defend and bolster his reputation that may have been slighted before the crowds due to John's inquiry no the fact is that no

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Jewish person including John would have viewed the ministry of Jesus as fulfilling the realization or the onset of the messianic kingdom that they had expected and anticipated it is understandable that John had questions about what was transpiring for events were not occurring as he and all other

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Jews believe would take place Matthew Henry was right when he wrote the faith of John Baptist himself or at least of his disciples needed to be confirmed in this matter for Christ had not yet publicly declared himself indeed to be the

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Christ he would not have his disciples who knew him to be the disciples knew

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Jesus was the Messiah to speak of it till the proof proof of his being were so completed in his resurrection the great man of the

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Jewish Church in other words the priests and Pharisees had not owned him Jesus nor had he gained any interest that was likely to set him upon the throne of his father

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David nothing of that power and grandeur was to be seen about him in which it was expected that the

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Messiah would appear and therefore it's not strange that they should ask art thou the Messiah not doubting but that if he was not he would direct them what what other one to look for I think

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William Hendrickson was even more clear on the matter according to Luke 3 see

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John the Baptist had been taken into custody by King Herod Antipas he'd been locked up in the gloomy fortress of Macias modern here a bit

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Macauer located about eight kilometers east of the Dead Sea 24 kilometers south of its northern tip

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I saw it from a distance when we were in Israel my son -in -law and I the prison was part of the one of the

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Herodian palaces which explains the possibility of the action recorded in Mark 6 there was imprisonment must have been a very grim ordeal

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John was allowed to receive visitors including his own disciples and from these he had learned about the activities of Jesus the very one about whom the

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Baptist had said so many wonderful things and so the imprisoned Herald may have been wondering if Jesus is that powerful why does he not do something about my incarceration but especially as John sought the gracious words that fell from the lips of the

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Savior and the miracles of mercy he performed did not harmonize with the manner in which he the

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Baptist had pictured him before the public he had presented him as one who had come to punish and destroy

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John's word had been true and inspired the very Word of God what Christ Harold missed however what

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John didn't understand he failed to discern that this prophecy of doom would go into fulfillment not now but at Christ's second coming he had not seen the present and the future and true perspective that was true of all the

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Jews even that Jesus's disciples up toward the end John made a very wise decision when instead of keeping his difficulty regarding Jesus to himself or taking it over with others but not with the right person he took it to Jesus owing to the fact that the

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Baptist was himself in prison so that he was unable to go and see Jesus in person he sent word by two of his disciples this does not mean however that the interpretation and here he slaps against that other interpretation this does not mean however that the interpretation according to which it was not

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John himself who doubted but only his disciples who did and that John now sends these men to Jesus so that the

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Savior may solve their problem is correct it is definitely incorrect in other words

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Hendricks is saying yes John the Baptist had his doubts why otherwise would

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Jesus have said go and report to John there's no question about it it was

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John himself who had a problem it was he who wondered whether or not Jesus was the coming one but I would also assert that if you take the position of those who remove any and all doubt on the part of John the

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Baptist on this occasion the result is really to strip the passage of some of its pastoral relevance and helpfulness if John the

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Baptist doubted don't feel bad if sometimes you have doubts yourself frankly many true disciples of Jesus Christ who have had wonderful Christian experience had gained much

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Christian knowledge in the past due to severe trials in life have been pushed into the realm of doubting their faith perhaps even questioning the truthfulness of the claims of the

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Holy Bible pastor Jason and I had talked to a man just a few weeks ago and this was his very condition surprised us alarmed us some may not only doubt their faith but maybe come to doubt the foundational truths which had formally they had formally held and perhaps even had taught in other words it would seem that John the

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Baptist was experiencing a crisis of doubt and difficulty that many others have similarly experienced you can read how

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John Bunyan in the Pilgrim's Progress had Christian experiencing some of these same doubts at different points in his

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Christian life to take away his experience John's experience removes the encouragement that Christ may provide for that troubled soul even as he gave comfort and reassurance to John and his disciples the passage should reinforce to the troubled

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Christian soul if John the Baptist struggled under his trials and he was certainly a godly man even the best of men and maybe there's hope for me also in my doubts and struggles to continue to believe on Jesus now as we look over our passage we can divide its contents into four sections we have the response of Jesus to John secondly we have the response of Jesus about John after the disciples returned to John third we have the response of the people to both

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Jesus and John and then fourthly the response of Jesus regarding his rejecters let's work through this first the response of Jesus to John verses 18 through 23 we'll read them again then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things and John calling two of his disciples to him sent them to Jesus saying are you the coming one or do we look for another and when the man had come to him they said

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John the Baptist has sent us to you saying are you the coming one or do we look for another and that very hour he cured many infirmity of infirmities afflictions and evil spirits and many and to many blind he gave sight

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Jesus answered and said to them go tell

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John the things you've seen and heard the blind see the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised and the poor have the gospel preached to them and blessed is he who is not offended because of me now

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John the Baptist was a relative of Jesus their mothers were cousins but the two boys growing up probably had little if any contact with one another

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John was raised in the wilderness of Judea south of Jerusalem Jesus of course grew up in Galilee 75 to 100 miles north of Jerusalem Nazareth John had been given a special mission in life he was to prepare the people for the coming of the promised

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Messiah the king who would usher in the golden age of Israel as promised to Zacharias the father of John the

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Baptist even before John's birth and of course John did just that before the

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Lord Jesus came upon the scene John had stirred the population of the entire region after some months of John's preaching

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Jesus came to John and was also baptized by him and with that event the

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Lord's ministry began now John was a man of his times he had a

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Jewish conception of the character and mission of the Messiah which he would bring to pass this was reflected in John's preaching judgment was coming and therefore repentance from sin was imperative the enemies of God would be overturned the people of God would experience deliverance from their oppressors would soon enjoy the blessings of the kingdom age it was commonly taught that then the people would be healed oppression would cease injustice would no longer exist political prisoners would be set free

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John was in prison but what happened after those subsequent months

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John the forerunner of Jesus was himself put into prison locked away by by King Herod himself an evil king furthermore deliverance from prison had not occurred things were not unfolding as John had expected prisoners were not being released cruel oppressors administering injustice were not removed from authority evil forces seemed to be prevailing

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Jesus was not living up to expectations and so John began to have some serious concerns some very real doubts as to the identity of Jesus as the

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Messiah and so we read John calling two of his disciples sent them to Jesus saying are you the coming one or do we look for another and when the men came to Jesus they said

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John the Baptist has sent us to you saying are you the coming one or do we look for another and then in response

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Jesus the Lord Jesus drew attention to the works he was performing giving the messengers a message to take to John go tell

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John the things you've seen and heard the blind see the lame walk lepers are cleansed of death here the dead are raised poor of the gospel preached to them so essentially

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Jesus was affirming and reassuring John yes I am the one and furthermore the works that I'm doing are consistent with my mission and John no doubt hearing their words would have recognized his works as the fulfillment of the words of the prophets when they described the coming

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Messiah's mission for example we can read in Isaiah in that day in the day of the

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Messiah's kingdom the deaf shall hear the words of the book the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness later and then the eyes of the blind shall be open the ears of the deaf shall shall be unstopped then of course our

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Lord quoted Isaiah 61 the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord is anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor so the concluding words of Jesus to be given to John are most important again we read and blessed is he who is not offended because of me blessed describes the person who is in a blessed state before God that is one who has salvation one who has a saving relationship with God he's not cursed he's blessed

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Jesus was saying in a very straightforward manner that salvation is centered in one's opinion and attitude toward himself on this basis people will stand or fall on Judgment Day what do you think of Jesus when he said blessed is he who is not offended because of me he was speaking about the condition of those who believe in him and persevere believing in him and furthermore

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Jesus was speaking about the possibility or the danger of people ceasing to believe on him primarily because of things done by him or things left undone by him resulting in them becoming offended or stumbling or losing confidence in Jesus rejecting him and so here is a word from our

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Lord Jesus that's very appropriate for believers of any age for you and me as well and no telling what we're going to be facing in the future in this old world and blessed is he who is not offended because of me salvation is promised to believers people who persevere in their believing who continue to believe in him salvation is not promised for those who believe only for a time and then cease to believe that is a description of an apostate there is no salvation for an apostate one who rejects

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Jesus totally and finally there is no salvation promised for the temporary believer the state of blessedness or salvation belongs to the one who does not stumble over him but continues to believe on him now a word of clarification is important here to be offended or to stumble regarding Jesus is not having doubts about yourself or even doubts about him

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John had his doubts but he had not stumbled or had been offended at Jesus being offended here speaks of a rejection of Jesus a refusal to believe in him or one ceasing to believe in him can some stumble over Jesus it happens all the time there are those who refuse to embrace him because he does not conform to their expectations just like many

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Jews in that day and there are those who believe for a while and then because of hardship or they learn something about the

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Lord Jesus they don't like they turn from him this is the one whom

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Jesus depicted as having the seed the word of the kingdom sown in stony soil it appears there's enthusiasm and and true faith but when the

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Sun gets hot and difficulty arise they forsake Christ we can draw several spiritual applications from our

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Lord's words for ourselves first we must recognize the possibility that we ourselves could stumble respecting our faith in Jesus Christ there are warnings in Scripture to believers in Jesus to persevere their faith and we are to seek grace divine empowerment from God that we may do so faith is not presumption faith is a continuing adherence and cleaving to Christ we generally place all too much confidence in ourselves and the strength of our faith we're like Peter Jesus they may all forsake you but I'm not going to there are things that can come into your life that shake the foundations of your faith and so we're to guard ourselves watch is a word repeatedly used in Scripture which is to characterize the believers caution we should have a lot of confidence in in Jesus very little confidence in ourselves frankly problems persecution destitution success prosperity the fear of man the hardening effects of sin all these and more can bring a once flourishing professor of faith to abandon

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God's people and reject God's Word and even deny the Lord Jesus and over 49 years of ministry

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I could name people by name one after another that followed this course and not only could this happen to any of us but it would happen to each of us if it were not for the ongoing disbursement of God's grace to keep us if it were not for Jesus praying for us as our high priest you would fall flat there are times when situations in our life may discredit or dismiss in our minds the work that God had been doing in and about us this may be because of what he brings into our lives because of what he doesn't remove from our lives if I'm a

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Christian why is he put me through this there's no relief or because of the demands which his words place upon our lives is too much

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I'm not going on and then secondly we must recognize the fact that others about us could stumble or become offended professing

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Christians can stumble over Jesus and so we're to watch out for one another and warn encourage exhort and correct each other so as to prevent this from occurring what a lot of people think is faith is actually presumption and certainly non -christians can stumble over Jesus this may be due to the wickedness of many who claim to believe on Jesus this may be due to the weakness of many who claim to follow

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Jesus if that's what a Christian is I don't want any part of it some say they scrutinize our behavior and our attitudes they are skeptical and sadly sometimes our behavior only confirms in their minds their skepticism may the

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Lord forbid that any of us be a reason for somebody else to reject Christ ministers used to have be held in high regard by people no longer and one can understand why when you consider the scandals of the last generation now

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John had not stumbled we should understand that John had not stumbled or become offended over Jesus he had questions and he was puzzled but he had not rejected

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Jesus but perhaps the questions posed by John's disciples would diminish

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John and his ministry in the eyes of those present who witnesses verbal exchange between Jesus and John's two disciples and so the

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Lord addressed the crowd after the messengers of John left and returned to John and so secondly we read of the response of Jesus about John 24 through 28 it is significant irrelevant for us that the

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Lord in no way criticizes or condemned the confusion and doubt that John had expressed no criticism of John by Jesus take heart by this feel free and be encouraged to bring your doubts and questions to the

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Lord Jesus he can handle it can he moreover he does not turn away a sincere seeker one who truly desires to know and understand him you may not receive all the answers at once or ever on this side of glory but do not feel that you're wrong to bring your deepest concerns questions doubts to him even if they have to do with his own person or his work in your life

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I'm of the persuasion that he wants to take his people through periods where they've got nothing depend upon but his word nothing in my life seems to support or prop up my faith in Jesus but I'm gonna believe in him anyway regardless that's how

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Job was is that not right and that is that is a glorious faith when you believe on Jesus as he told

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Thomas yeah you're blessed because you've seen my nail prints in my hands blessed is the one who hasn't seen and believes that's true faith believe it in Christ not because it not because there's evidence to suggest it but because you believe him for who he is and what the scriptures say about him and so the response of Jesus about John he spoke so highly of John John was a man who spoke boldly to others the

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Word of God beginning with verse 24 we read of our Lord commending John when the message of John had departed

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Jesus began to speak to the multitudes concerning John what did you go out in the wilderness to see a reed shaken by the wind but what did you go out to see a man clothed in soft raiment that's not what drew people to him indeed those who are gorgeously apparel live in luxury or in King's courts what did you go out to see and so Jesus commended

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John for qualities really that should characterize our lives people knew they would hear the truth from John that he would not bend or conform to the opinions and thoughts of the world it is as though Jesus said what did you go out to see a prophet yes and you're not disappointed for you heard from God that's why they went out but further

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John was owed no ordinary man for John was the promised messenger of the

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Messiah to come Jesus said what did you go out to see a prophet yes

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I say to you and more than a prophet John the Baptist more than a prophet this is he of whom it is written behold

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I send my messenger before your face who will prepare your way before you for I say to you among those born of women there's not a greater prophet than John the

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Baptist but he was least in the kingdom of God is greater than he incredible statement perhaps the one

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Old Testament prophecy which was looked upon by the Jews of that day as the signal for the appearance of the

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Messiah was the promise of Malachi 3 1 which states that a messenger commonly understood as Elijah the

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Prophet would appear and herald the Messiah's arrival so here are the first three verses of Malachi 3 behold

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I send my messenger he will prepare the way before me and the

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Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple even the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight behold he's coming says the

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Lord of hosts who can endure the day of his coming who can stand when he appears for he is like a refiners fire and like launderers soap he will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver he'll purify the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer to the

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Lord and offering in righteousness we address this chapter last year in March and when we did we drew your attention the fact that there are two messengers mentioned in this passage the first is the forerunner to the second the first messenger prepares the way for the second messenger the first messenger and you might notice at least if you have a

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New King James Version the lowercase m messenger he's the preparer for the second messenger the second messenger has a capital

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M that's referring to Jesus Christ the prophecy of the coming first messenger is that of John the

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Baptist he was born six months before Jesus John prepared the way for Jesus even when he was in the womb if you'll recall

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John was later called and commissioned to his baptizing ministry perhaps six months before Jesus was baptized which signaled the onset of his messianic

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Jesus's messianic ministry John must have been keenly aware of this prophecy and his role as the first messenger but to him it did not seem that Jesus was fulfilling his role as the principal messenger to which

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Malachi pointed you can understand the difficulty that John might have had but then

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Jesus declared John was a greatest man born of woman when Jesus gave this great word regarding John verse 28a for I say to you among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the

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Baptist what a commendation and so the

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Lord exalted John before the eyes of the people the prophets of Israel were among the greatest men in the history of Israel and among those prophets

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John being one of them John ranked the greatest the highest but then

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Jesus concluded the matter with a word which was of the foremost concern the nature of the kingdom which

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John had heralded and the great privilege that would belong to those who enter it verse 28b he who is least in the kingdom of God is great greater than John incredible statement now it's at this juncture that we must point out a textual variant that exists in the

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Greek manuscript tradition of verse 28 the different textual reading can be seen clearly when reading the text in either the

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New King James version and that compared with the English Standard Version the ESV and so I set them down in your notes first the

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New King James version I say to you among those born of women there's not a greater prophet than John the

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Baptist but he was least in the kingdom of God is greater than he and then the ESV reads differently

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I say unto you among them that are born of women there is none greater than John not just greatest prophet but the greatest of men the greatest human being that ever lived yet he that is but little in the kingdom of God is greater than he and the parallel account recorded in Matthew's gospel it clearly states that John the

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Baptist is the greatest man that had ever lived not just the greatest prophet who had ever served in Israel Matthew 11 1 reads assuredly say to you among 11 11 by the way assuredly say to you among those born of women there is not risen one greater than John the

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Baptist but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he how do you explain this textual variant down in the manuscript copying tradition it would seem that a later scribe copying

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Luke's gospel had added the word prophet to his manuscript why would he do that perhaps a scribe did so because for John said to be the greatest man born of woman that would technically make him greater than Jesus himself and so the scribe wanted to narrow it down a little bit he was the greatest prophet not just the greatest man ever born and so the scribe may have been attempting to retain

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Jesus's superiority over John which he thought was threatened if he had left the reading unchanged so we can probably say not excused in any way but we can see why a scribe might be compelled to amend his text in a textual commentary that attempts to explain the reason that a scribe might have made the change in copying his manuscript

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Bruce Metzger wrote this it's very difficult to decide whether and he gives the

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Greek word for profit prophetess was inserted by a pedantic copyist who wished thereby to exclude

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Christ from comparison or whether it was omitted by assimilation of the

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Matthew in parallel in other words scholars weren't sure did Luke originally write greatest prophet and a scribe wanted to make it read the same as Matthew and took away the word prophet or was he concerned about John being exalted even above Jesus and therefore he put in the word prophet and and scholars themselves were not all that convinced one way or another but they tended to favor the shorter text in other words

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Jesus was clearly saying that John was the greatest man born of woman obviously excluding himself but then we read this astounding statement at the end of verse 28 for I say to you among those born of women there's not a greater than John the

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Baptist but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he now interestingly because some commentators were working off the text that said that whereas John was the greatest prophet who had ever lived they concluded that he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater must refer not to everybody in the kingdom but just to gospel preachers the least gospel preacher is greater than John was

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Calvin was mistaken in this interpretation and I love Calvin and his commentaries but he was wrong here all right because he took the text to saying that John was the greatest prophet and therefore he concluded what

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Jesus was saying the least preacher of the kingdom of God is greater than was

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John the Baptist who was simply a herald of what was coming whereas preachers of the gospel are heralders of what has already come and therefore they're greater but again as we have argued

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Jesus was actually declaring the least citizen in the kingdom of God is greater than John the

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Baptist was this describes the privilege that you and I have as Christians I might just interject here that doesn't mean that you and I are greater than John the

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Baptist is now because upon Christ's death resurrection ascension into heaven all the

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Old Testament Saints are also in the kingdom we're all in this great status but as John the

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Baptist was before the onset of the promised kingdom of the Messiah the least citizen of the kingdom of God the simplest

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Christian didn't do as Christian has it all over him that's what great privilege that you and I enjoy as Christians Norval yelled and I was a commentator of Luke he expressed the matter well but although he

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John his last envoy of the Old Covenant Old Testament is nearest to Christ and thus the most important of all he takes a lower place than even the most insignificant member of the

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New Covenant he belonged to the period of preparation and did not yet learn to know

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Jesus as the crucified one as the risen Redeemer as the one who through his spirit makes his habitation in the believers heart and life

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John didn't know those things he will indeed in common with all other Saints of the time before Christ's sacrificial death share fully in the redemption and blessing achieved by him and they're enjoying that now of course but as regards his place in the unfolding of the divine revelation which culminated in Christ he still belongs to the preparatory stage and is therefore in this respect less than the most insignificant insignificant believer in the new dispensation the period which began with the drawing near the beneficent demanding of God in the coming and redeeming work of Jesus by declaring in these words the relation men bear to him as the absolute touchstone of true greatness the

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Savior at the same time declares that he himself is the greatest of all the messenger of the covenant of Malachi 3 1 and therefore

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God himself and so consider what what

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Jesus said here it's more important and is to be regarded as a greater privilege to be a citizen of the kingdom of God to be a

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Christian and even to be the greatest of the prophets of the old covenant by our

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Lord stating this reality he conferred upon his people Christians great honor and dignity did he not if you're a

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Christian you're greater than even John the Baptist was because of the privilege and blessing that you have in Christ your brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ are greater than even

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John the Baptist was for we are privileged citizens of the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ that's an incredible statement and therefore we ought to not only have regard for one another as in Christ but treat one another as noble creations as Christians thirdly we read of the response of the people to Jesus and John when all the people heard him

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Jesus even tax collectors justified God having been baptized with the baptism of John but the

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Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves not having been baptized by him

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God commanded all to be baptized by John they refused to be baptized and so there are two responses given to Jesus first we read of the favorable response of the people in the tax collectors with these words of the people in the text gatherers that is the sinners reaffirmed that God had been right in sending

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John to lead the people repent of their sins so that they might have entrance into the kingdom of God that was coming but secondly we read of the negative response of the

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Pharisees and scribes it was God's desire that all should be baptized but these had refused to do so and so it is any who reject the gospel of Christ and the claims of the

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Lord Jesus are bringing just condemnation upon themselves for they rejected God's purposes and then lastly we have the response of Jesus regarding his rejecters the

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Lord said to what then shall I like in the men of this generation what are they like they're like children sitting in the marketplace calling to one another say we played the flute for you you did not dance we mourned for you you did not weep for John the

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Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine you say he's got a demon son of man has come eating and drinking you say look a glutton and a winebibber a friend of tax collectors and sinners

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I read a sermon this week by Charles Spurgeon on that phrase a friend of tax collectors and sinners glorious word of encouragement he's a friend to us and then

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Jesus concludes wisdom is justified by all her children and so what were the

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Christ rejecters of that day like they were as little children who express their folly and immaturity in their play you won't play by our rules you won't dance to our tune because Jesus would not jump through their hoops play along with them try to appease them they would reject him and oppose him

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Jesus said it was essentially a no -win situation John came fasting they accused him of demonic asceticism

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Jesus came feasting they accused him of gluttony and drunkenness it was clear there was nothing that could be done to satisfy this crowd

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John and Jesus would be criticized for either things that either things they didn't do or things they did do

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John was too somber negative critical they piped but he would not dance to their tune he was too sad for their liking on the other hand

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Jesus was criticized for not mourning with them when they played their funeral dirge he was too glad for their liking they thought to discredit

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Jesus by calling him a friend of tax gatherers and sinners but this must have been further encouragement to his followers who were just that his rejecters were intolerant unyielding they would not be appeased and recognize there are some in spite of all your efforts today even as you try and exhibit with sincerity and genuine concern for their souls they'll not receive you and they'll seek to dismiss you or discredit you in order to justify themselves they did it to Jesus if they did it to him they're going to do it to you and me but the

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Lord Jesus concluded and so we'll conclude nevertheless wisdom is vindicated by all your children in other words

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God's ways are going to be vindicated proved to be true and valid in the results that are seen amen let's pray thank you father for your words thank you

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God for the lessons of encouragement to us as we consider the struggles that John the

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Baptist had as great a man as he was and we thank you our God for the glorious mercy and grace that you have showered upon us that we are called your children through faith in Jesus Christ we pray our

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God that you would help us to see and to always be aware of this noble position that you have conferred upon us by your gift of grace through Jesus Christ help us to have high regard for one another as Christians and Lord help us we who are struggling with doubts and puzzlement to be strengthened in our faith

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I want to pray for that one soul our God that pastor Jason and I spoke with recently who expressed rather openly his doubts